


Twelve Days of Christmas (Life Day) Prompts

by storyknitter



Category: Star Wars Legends: The Old Republic (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-24
Packaged: 2019-09-13 19:56:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16898934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storyknitter/pseuds/storyknitter
Summary: A series of prompts (completely out of chronological order) for Theron and Sanna, centered around Life Day. Most were written in December 2017, with the exceptions of Dec 18th and 21st, which are new.The complete prompt list ishereYou can find mehere on tumblr





	1. December 14: Staying inside during a snowstorm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a snowball fight, Theron and Sanna enjoy the wintry view

Theron and Sanna strolled down the hallways of Organa Palace toward their guest rooms, laughing all the way, arms wrapped around each other. Despite their good humor, there was still a chill in the air, and it was coming from the inhabitants of the palace. Maybe it was just his imagination, but it was probably the melting snow that he and his Jedi were dripping all over the floors. It wasn’t his fault, though.

Okay, if he were honest, it _was_ his fault: he did start that whole snowball fight, after all. But he also _finished_ it, which was the important part. A smirk slid onto his face as he recalled tackling Sanna to the snowy ground, her shriek of laughter melting into giggles along with the fluffy flakes in her hair.

Staying on Alderaan with the Paladin of House Organa was a pretty sweet gig, even though they were here for less-than-pleasant matters of Alliance security. Sanna was granted a spacious apartment that was, by his estimation, larger than Dr. Oggurobb’s lab on Odessen. The main room boasted a fantastic view of the snow-covered landscape, complete with a backdrop of majestic mountains. The furniture was opulent, yet ridiculously comfortable, and the closets that dwarfed most of the crew quarters back home.

The best part, in Theron’s humble opinion, was the fireplace. Some wonderful, considerate soul had lit a fire while he and Sanna were outside and the hearth now contained a roaring blaze. The heat drove away some of the lingering chill in his bones as he stood, warming his hands, eyes closed in bliss.

Sanna reappeared, dressed in a warm, dry sweater and leggings, and crossed to the small table next to the fireplace, her fingertips trailing along the small of his back as she passed him. She poured steaming hot cocoa from the thermos into the two waiting mugs, kissed him on the cheek with a grin, and absconded to the window seat with her cocoa and a blanket.

A shiver ran down his spine, the warm fireplace no match for his sodden clothing. A nudge through the Force from his Jedi sent him towards the closet with a grin. Returning to the common room far warmer than he was moments before, he gazed – thoroughly dazzled – at the Mirialan perched in the window.

Vassanna’s hair streamed down her back, slowly drying. Her knees were tucked to her chest, the knit blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Her focus was outside, on the scenery, and the rest of the apartment ceased to exist. The pure wonder on her features was... _stunning_. It took Theron a long moment to organize his thoughts and find words.

“Hey, aren’t you cold, sweetheart? You’re right on the windows.” She glanced over her shoulder, meeting his eyes with a small smile.

“Well, I’ve got hot cocoa and a nice warm blanket, so I think I’ll be fine. Besides, dinner is in about an hour and I don’t think I’ll freeze before then,” she said teasingly.

“Alright, fine. You have a point,” he replied with rolled eyes and a small smirk.

“I know I do, Mr. Grinch Who Stole Life Day. But look, it’s snowing now! Isn’t it beautiful?” Sanna gestured to the window, where large, fluffy flakes drifted softly to the ground.

Theron studied Sanna and her wintry backdrop again. An easy smile stole onto his face; he sauntered over and kissed the corner of her mouth.

“ _You_ , my dear, are far prettier than any landscape in this galaxy, Sanna. And I’ve seen quite a few in my time,” he whispered in her ear. She bit her lip as a blush crept up her cheeks.

“Okay, scoot over,” Theron said, gently pushing her to the side.

“Theron, what are you doing?”

“Would you just move over, please? I’m gonna join you.”

Sanna grinned and hastily shifted so that Theron could slide next to her on the window seat, and adjusted the blanket to cover them both. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, dropping a kiss on her temple.

"I'm definitely warm enough, now." She gave him that smile of hers that never failed to make his heart stutter and his lungs forget how to breathe.

“I love you, you know. A lot.” He kissed her jaw to emphasize his words, and their feelings hummed across the bond they shared.

“I know. I love you too, my sweet.” Sanna’s hand came up to rest on his cheek and she nuzzled his nose with her own. They snuggled closer, her head on his shoulder, and watched the snow falling in perfect drifts outside, content and peaceful in each other’s arms.


	2. December 15: Playing outside in the snow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alderaan has the best snow around (set just before yesterday's prompt)

“This part of Alderaan is absolutely gorgeous. Don’t you think so, Theron?” The only thing Vassanna heard in response was a grumble. She gestured to their surroundings and said, “Oh, come on. Just look at the mountains! The sky! The forests!”

“The _snow_ ,” he finished with disdain. “How are you not freezing and miserable?”

Sanna looked back over her shoulder at him with an innocent grin and raised eyebrow. “Have you forgotten that I’m from a planet that’s basically a frozen desert?”

He muttered something she couldn’t quite make out under his breath. Karma was eavesdropping on their conversation, however, and Theron’s next step went into a snowdrift, burying him to mid-thigh in snow.

“Are you kriffing _kidding me_?” he groused, while Sanna failed to stifle a laugh. “I’m glad you think this is so funny, _Jedi_. I’ll bet you can just walk on top of the snow, huh?”

“That’s not how the Force works, Theron,” she said, helping to pull him out of the snow to solid ground.

“Fine, fine. Hang on a sec, I’m pretty sure that half the snow on this planet is in my boot right now.” He grabbed her proffered arm for balance, taking his boot off and shaking all the snow out. He dropped it to the ground with a scowl and dusted off the flakes clinging to his leg, trying to remove as much of the offending white fluff as he could.

When he was finally content with the results, Theron leaned over to pull his boot on. Surreptitiously, he scooped up a handful of snow and, using Sanna’s arm as leverage, pulled himself upright as quickly as he could, a wicked grin on his face. He slapped the cold snow on the back of her neck, right at the beginning of her tattoos, and shoved most of it into the gap between her warm skin and cool armor. The shrill squeak it elicited was quite un-Jedi-like.

“Augh, that’s so cold!” She danced away from him, swatting at the frigid snow that was now melting down her back. It was Theron’s turn to laugh, eyes crinkling and his head tipping back. He looked back up to see Sanna staring him down, eyes narrowed and her right hand held out to the side, snow swirling up from the ground. It took him one heartbeat too long to realize what she was doing; he put his hands up, palms out in a pacifying manner.

“Sanna, wait a minute. Let’s step back and think about this. No, don’t you dare throw that snowba– _dammit_!” Her accuracy was impeccable and had he not flinched, the snowball would have hit him square in the face; unfortunately, it hit his implants instead, sending a shiver coursing through his whole body. He looked up to see a smug look on her face, the Force assisting her in making two more snowballs, and he wisely looked for a place to take cover. Luckily, the forest they were traveling through provided more than a few options.

As Theron dashed behind the closest tree, he yelled, “Fine, if you wanna play it that way, this means war!” A snowball sailed past him, glancing off his jacket, as he scraped up more snow and sent it flying back towards Sanna. She knocked it out of the air with the Force before it could hit its mark, prompting him to stick his face out from behind his current cover and shout, “ _Cheater_.”

A golden peal of laughter drifted across the clearing. He didn’t notice the grin it brought to his face but instead took advantage of Sanna’s brief inattention, a loose snowball exploding into a flurry of white as it smacked her in the chest, cutting off the laughter with a gasp.

“Oh, _you_ ,” she hissed. She darted behind a tree opposite Theron, making another snowball and hurling it, hitting the tree instead of him in her haste.

Snowballs and small flurries crisscrossed the open space between the lines of trees for at least a quarter of an hour, laughter and challenges accompanying the snowflakes. Trees were pockmarked with clumps of snow that hadn’t found their marks.

As Theron leaned out from behind a tree to toss another snowball, Sanna sent a wave of snow flying his way. It completely covered him from head to toe and he sputtered in shock.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish, Agent Shan,” she taunted, amusement clear in her voice.

“Oh, I’ll finish it alright,” he muttered, wiping snow from his face. Glancing around the clearing, Theron found his target, feigning another toss of snow. He waited until she’d flung another snowball in his direction and charged out from behind the tree. Dodging one last snowball, he launched himself at Sanna. She let out another shriek and tried to twist out of his reach, but it was too late.

Theron grabbed Sanna around the waist, turned, and tackled her into a snowbank, sending soft powder flying everywhere. They both lay there, laughing and out of breath, clothing sodden and snow melting in their hair. He propped himself up on his arm, looking down at her with a triumphant smirk on his face.

“Truce?” she asked. He nodded, dipping down for a small kiss. Sanna beamed up at him. “Hmm, good. I’d hate to have to mash snow into your pretty hair from this close.”

Theron chuckled as she pulled him down for another kiss, the chill of the snow and crisp air forgotten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This started as a different tumblr prompt - “Don’t you dare throw that snowba—goddammit!” - but the minute I saw this Christmas prompt list, I knew it just fit perfectly here, rather than in a separate collection of fics.
> 
> P.S. Theron may or may not have grumbled that Mirial, Sanna's home planet, sounded like the worst parts of Hoth and Tatooine put together.


	3. December 16: A/B shopping for gifts for B/A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vassanna and Theron spend the morning relaxing together, like *gasp* normal people!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is set the morning after [this one](https://storyknitter.tumblr.com/post/164276499400/dinner-date) and takes place shortly before Chapter One of Knights of the Fallen Empire.

Sleeping in wasn’t something that Vassanna did often, but she found it enjoyable when the occasion arose. However, it meant that quickly getting a table for two around the brunch hour was near impossible. Luckily, her meetings weren’t until the afternoon, so she could while away the morning with Theron. They received a notification chip from the restaurant that would inform them when their table was ready and set off to pass the time. The pair made their way to the string of small shops in the surrounding area, walking closely, hands brushing gently, hesitantly as they explored.

Stopping in a haberdashery, Vassanna grabbed a fedora and set it atop Theron’s head, doing her best not to muss his hair. He gave her a hard stare before glancing in the mirror and grimacing.

“I think it suits you, Theron. It’s _very_ dashing.” She smiled impishly at him and his heart skipped a beat.

“Eh, I’m not big on hats,” he said, placing it back on the stand and instinctively smoothing his hair back into place. He reached over and drew her closer for a kiss, earning them an irritated cough from the shopkeeper. “Kissing you, though… I’m a fan.”

A self-conscious flush crept up Vassanna’s face as she pulled away from him with a small smile before trying on a number of hats in an attempt to make him laugh, the styles ranging from silly to absolutely ridiculous. She turned to model a frilly thing with feathers and lace with a bright grin and his breath caught, blown away by how beautiful she looked, outrageous hat and all.

To distract himself, Theron pulled a dark red hat down from a shelf and unceremoniously plunked it on top of her head. The brim flopped down, covering half of her face and prompting wild laughter from them both. Catching a glare from the shop owner, they carefully returned the merchandise to where it belonged and left, politely thanking the shopkeeper on their way out and stifling laughter.

Wandering farther down the walkway, they came across a jewelry shop and the old woman in the stall beckoned them over.

“Ah, yes, good! The Force has finally brought you here! Come closer!”

Vassanna and Theron exchanged a look and cautiously approached the counter as the shopkeeper picked up a bright blue crystal in an ornate filigree setting, chain hanging from her wrinkled hand. “Yes, come look,” she continued, “these are special, they’re calling to you. Can’t you hear them singing?”

“Hear them?” Theron asked, shooting Vassanna a questioning glance. She shook her head imperceptibly.

“Oh yes. These are exceptionally rare, from the old Jedi caves on Ilum. They’re hard to come by, you know. But this one here, this one is calling to _you,_ pretty lady, out of all the people I’ve seen this week. I’ll even give you a special deal,” the woman cajoled as Vassanna smiled innocently.

_Hmph, what a con_ , Theron thought irritably. Luckily, the chiming of the restaurant chip saved him from having to extricate them from the saleswoman’s pitch.

“Well, it looks like our table is ready. Shall we? Thank you for your time, ma’am.” Theron nodded a farewell as he took Vassanna’s hand in his, twining their fingers together, and walked back towards the cafe.

After they had ordered, Vassanna met Theron’s eyes, a thoughtful expression on her face. “That saleswoman. She wasn’t Force-Sensitive. And those crystals were not from Ilum. I’ve been there and they certainly didn’t _feel_ like the ones on Ilum.”

Theron managed to contain a snort. “No, I wouldn’t think so. I’m pretty sure that’s just her sales schtick, Vassanna. Did any of them ‘sing’ for you?” Sarcasm practically dripped off the question and a hurt look ghosted over her face briefly.

“I forget how cynical you can be sometimes, Theron. But no, most of them weren’t ‘singing’ or making any other sort of sound in the Force. They were just small pieces of crystal wrapped in metal; pretty but silent.”

“Most of them? So she was actually right about some?” He wanted to kick himself for inadvertently hurting Vassanna’s feelings; he was annoyed with the saleswoman, not her.

“It may have been her ‘schtick,’ but she wasn’t entirely wrong. There was only one. It was white, shot through with dark purple striations. I thought the crystal was cracked at first, but it was just the purple lines and it… it _sparkled_ , almost. It was in the bottom corner of the shelf, did you see it?”

Theron shook his head. All he could see was how her face lit up as she talked about this random piece of jewelry, this chunk of minerals, and why was it so hard to breathe right now?

“That’s a shame,” she continued, “It was beautiful.”

* * *

The next afternoon Vassanna and her crew, along with the Barsen’thor and her people, were off on their journey into Wild Space to meet Darth Marr. Life Day would be just around the corner by the time they were scheduled to be back, and Theron had decided that – too forward or not, con-lady running the shop or not – he’d be damned if he didn’t get Vassanna something that made her smile the way she did while talking about that crystal necklace.

As Theron approached the shop, the same woman was behind the counter and a sly grin crept onto her face as she recognized him.

“Your girl guilt you into coming back?” she asked arrogantly. Theron stomped down the thrill that shot through him at Vassanna being called _his_ and frowned at her.

“No. And if you’re gonna be like that, I’ll find somewhere else to spend my credits.”

The old woman simply smirked and reached for the blue pendant she’d shown them previously. After haggling over the price for a few minutes, Theron pointed to the white and purple one and asked the cost.

“The cracked one?” She couldn’t keep the surprise out of her voice before composing herself. “I’m certain we can come to an agreement on a fair price.”

Twenty minutes of bargaining later, Theron walked out of the jewelry shop, a flat navy box tucked in the pocket of his jacket and a satisfied grin on his face.


	4. December 18: Visiting A/B’s family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This takes place the Life Day after Nathema. It turns out that Vassanna's family hosts one heck of a soiree!
> 
> (Also, Drunk!Theron - happy, sad, or in between - drops a lot of F-bombs. Like, a lot. Be warned.)

The Jedi next to Theron stumbled sideways, an arm flying out to brace herself, and a small giggle echoed down the hallway of Kethrys Nabeshin’s home on Mirial. He slipped an arm around Sanna’s waist to steady her, nearly tripping over her ankle in the process; she turned and shushed him exaggeratedly, one finger pressed to her lips.

The pair managed to make it to the guest room, wobbling and weaving together, stifling yawns and giggles along the way. Perhaps he shouldn’t have had that last drink – it turned out that Sanna’s family sure knew how to throw a holiday party.

“Look,” Theron said, louder than he’d planned, “I can read people really well.” Sanna raised a brow as the door slid closed behind them. “Okay, fine. Not as well as you Forcies, but still. Your family seemed to like me well enough. Right?”

“What?” Her speech was slurred and she didn’t appear to remember the conversation they’d started only a few moments prior.

“Your family. All sixty-two billion of ‘em that came in for Life Day. For the most part, it seemed like they liked me. Approved of me. Your _husband._ ” His chest constricted, warmth flooding him, as he turned the words “husband” and “wife” and “married” around in his head for the thousandth time. Would that feeling of astonishment and awe ever go away?

Theron wondered why he needed an answer to his first question so desperately. Sanna loved him – hells, she’d tied herself to him forever, tattoos and all – and that was really all the approval he needed. Not that he needed anyone’s approval, but... Dammit, he really shouldn’t have had that last drink, whatever it was. It was making his mind trip over the simplest thoughts.

“It doesn’t matter one bit to me whether they like you or not. I love you and _that’s_ what’s important,” she murmured, resting her palm less-than-gently on his cheek. “I am a grown adult and they have to respect my decision to marry you, sweet.” She gave him that smile of hers that always proved to be his undoing and he kissed her forehead. Why didn’t her words of assurance calm him? And why the hells did it matter so much?

“But yes,” she said, tapping her finger on the tip of his nose. “They like you.”

He snorted at her impish grin and another round of giggles erupted from her lips, ending with a hiccup. Stars, he hadn’t seen her this tipsy in a very long time, but there was no way he’d ever tire of hearing her laugh.

“Besides, it’s too late now – I’m never giving you up. Never, Theron.”

It didn’t matter how mumbled her words were, the significance of them knocked the breath out of him. How’d he get so damned lucky? He needed to change the subject or else he was going to get sappy.

“Hey, what was that family whiskey your uncle was handing out like candy? I don’t think I actually emptied a glass of it tonight. It was pretty good, but damn,” Theron said, running a hand down his face as the room tilted slightly on its axis. “It hits like fucking freight loader.”

Sanna’s eyes widened, her jaw dropping before bursting into uproarious laughter. She collapsed into the bed, gasping for air between cackles and shrieks.

“What? What is it, San?” he asked, his gut twisting and adrenaline shooting through his veins. Had he screwed something up?

“That ‘family whiskey,’” she wheezed, “is my great-great-great-times-a-bunch-grandfather’s moonshine recipe. It’s ridiculously strong. Like, pretty much straight alcohol. No wonder you were so relaxed!” Another giggle-hiccup punctuated her explanation and she continued. “How much did you have tonight?”

“I dunno. Like I said, my glass never actually went empty.” Theron shrugged, ignoring the slight slurring of his own words, and sat next to her on the fluffy bed, propping himself up on one arm.

“Wait. How are you not face down on the floor right now?” Her features went from shocked to suspicious. “Do your implants process alcohol for you? Because that’s cheating – you should be absolutely inebredated right now. Inibreeeate... inbreat... _drunk_ ,” she finished.

Theron giggled – there was really no other word for it, he fucking _giggled_ like a damn twelve-year-old – and Sanna gaped.

“Eh, fuck it,” he mumbled and ended this line of conversation the best way he could think of: he reached out, pulling her close, and kissed her hard, lips slanting over hers. She sighed and melted into his touch, her fingers slipping into the hair at the nape of his neck.

Sanna sat up abruptly, breaking the kiss with a whimper. “I can’t... oh stars, I have to sit up. ‘m sorry, everything's spinning,” she said, propping her head in her hands. He smirked, rubbing her back, and leaned in to kiss her cheek only to miss wildly, his lips crushing into the side of her neck. Hells, he really, _really_ shouldn't have had that last drink.

“Well, lucky for us,” Theron said, “there's an oversized, overstuffed recliner a few steps away. Think you can make it, love?” He stood on unstable legs and offered his hand. She nodded, groaning slightly, and rested her hand in his. Dropping into the chair, he pulled her onto his lap and grunted as her elbow slammed into his stomach.

The two settled in, despite the rough start: Theron’s arms wrapped around Sanna’s shoulder, her head on his chest and legs draped across his and over the arm of the chair. A smile crept onto his face as he felt his wife – his _wife_ – relax against him, softly snoring. He pressed a kiss onto her hair and swiftly followed her into sleepy bliss.


	5. December 21: Holiday traditions from Person A/B’s family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ah, yes! Here's that angst that's been promised in the tags. ;) There was no official timeline for the Traitor arc, but I'm assuming if it was similar to real-time, there's a Life Day alone for both Theron and Sanna.
> 
> Also, if you'd like to hear the soundtrack of her broken heart, I humbly offer [this music selection](https://youtu.be/yT7Myd3p76g).
> 
> Enjoy!

Vassanna sighed, rubbing her aching eyes. The words of the seemingly endless reports blurred beyond recognition and she flung the datapad onto the table. Idly wondering why these reports wouldn't simply review and approve themselves, she glanced up when Eli'anara poked her head in with a grin.

“Heya, cuz! How's your afternoon?” Without waiting for an answer, the spacer waltzed into the Commander's quarters, a box filled to bursting in her arms, and continued. “Well, let me tell you, it is better now!”

“Woah, woah, woah,” Sanna said, standing. “What are you doing, Ellie?”

Eli'anara gestured to Seetoo, metal arms laden with an even larger box. “I'm decorating your place for Life Day since you haven’t yet. _Clearly_.”

“Umm, no. No, thank you. I don't need or want any of that. Besides, Life Day’s nearly a month away.”

“And it’s never too soon to decorate!” Ellie grinned broadly. “I brought stuff from home, too. Look, it’s an artificial tree, like Nana’s – and it even has lights already!” She patted the box. “You can't have one of those silly old holo-trees, you need something with _presence_.” The smuggler reached into the box, pulling out a strand of green, red, and gold sparkles. “And here’s some garland and tinsel and–”

“I said ‘no thank you,’ cousin.”

“Well, it's so dark and grim in here. You've got to shine the place up for the holiday!”

“I can take care of it myself,” Vassanna insisted.

“Yeah, see, that's what I'm afraid of.” She winked at her flustered cousin. “But in all seriousness, this is why I brought Seetoo, he's gonna help me and you don’t even need to–”

Eli'anara broke off, her hand flying up to her earpiece.

“What do you mean someone's moving my ship? _No one_ touches my ship.” She glanced at her cousin, raising a hand in a sign to stay where she was. “No, you tell them that they can just wait a blissroot-picking minute and _I_ will move the _Star Chaser_ myself! Well, I don't particularly care that they...” Ellie's voice faded as she rushed down the hallway to rescue her ship from a change in parking assignment.

Vassanna dismissed Seetoo and sank down to the couch, glancing forlornly at the piles of holiday cheer. She couldn't do this. Not here, not in her own quarters. She could put on her mask and pretend that she was okay outside of this room, but oh stars, not here too. It was too much.

She leaped up and dashed out of the room to chase down the droid. Issuing orders for him to return the boxes of Life Day decorations to Ellie and Corran – after seeing to Sana-Rae's request for the Force enclave, of course – Sanna turned and headed to the _Defender_. She let herself into the empty ship, trying her best to ignore the ghosts of her past that still inhabited the vessel. It didn't matter how many times she glanced at the bridge, she fully expected to see Kira there, feet propped up on the dashboard, a smirk and “Hey Boss!” on her lips. The image of her friend and one-time Padawan was beginning to fade from her mind; she wasn't sure if she should be upset or grateful. Was that ‘moving on’?

Navigating the phantoms, Vassanna made her way to the dresser in the bedroom. She knelt and dug through the drawers until she found what she'd been searching for: a small holo-tree emitter. With a nostalgic smile, she headed back to her rooms, prize in hand.

* * *

Setting the projector base on the corner of her desk, Sanna clicked the power button and a small, half-meter holo-tree flickered into existence for a brief moment before shuddering out. She frowned and turned to Ellie's leavings, rummaging through boxes, half buried in decorations and glitter. With a triumphant cry, she emerged from a box, brandishing a new power pack and scent pod. After replacing both parts, she flipped the switch once more, standing back with arms crossed over her chest to admire her handiwork.

The little holo-tree glowed bright, its colors changing from red to green to blue, then pink, purple, and yellow as it slowly rotated. The tree blurred as Sanna’s focus shifted, memories dancing before her eyes.

 _She was ten years old, still dreaming of the Sacking and her uncle gone. But she was home and things felt right, even with a new Master in tow. Among her practical gifts that year – socks, undergarments, and the like – was a metal disc, about fifteen centimeters in diameter. Pressing the button, she and everyone in attendance was dazzled by the little holo-tree. “For the Life Days when you may not be able to make it home,” her parents had said_.

Eleven years later, she went back to Mirial for Life Day, this time as a Master herself.

 _Though her little holo-tree was displayed proudly on the Defender, it was nice – relaxing – to be home again. Her entire family was making a big deal of her crew – T7, Kira, and Doc – whom she’d brought along. Laughter rang out, loud and often. Somehow, her mother had thrown together small gifts for all of them, even Tee. They’d just left Quesh behind, but had received permission for the holiday visit; the Jedi were gearing up to take on the Sith Emperor himself and Sanna was so very glad for the break_.

A pang of melancholy tripped her heart. That visit had been the last time she’d seen her father in person, the last time she’d hugged him farewell. Offering up the apology she was never able to give him, she sniffled and stopped fighting the path her mind was taking.

 _The Life Day after... after their failed mission, Vassanna’s little tree saw two new crew members and a gaping hole in her memories – nearly an entire year’s worth. The entire crew worked their hardest to put themselves back together, for their own sake and that of the galaxy. It saw Lord Scourge participating in holiday events solely because of Kira’s taunting, and Doc trying to make light of the entire situation. Everything felt forced, from the laughter to the music_.

She sighed heavily, hoping against hope that her friends were still alive. The pragmatic part of her hoped – were they dead – that their ends had been swift, painless, and honorable.

Before Sanna could stop them, images from last year’s Life Day pirouetted across the back of her eyelids: a slim, flat blue box resting on the pillow in front of her nose, a crystal and gold necklace waiting within. Her gaze shifted helplessly to the armoire that was hers alone now; the box and its necklace were tucked into the back of the bottom drawer, hidden beneath her clothing. She'd packed up all of Ther– all of _his_ things, including that stupid old jacket, and asked Ellie to take care of it. Guilt and remorse shot through her and she ignored it; _he_ had made the decision to leave, not her.

Her hand came up, unbidden, to rest on her chest; the place where the pendant used to hang was bare and empty. There was some sort of parallel to be drawn, wasn’t there?

“How _could_ you?” she hissed. “I loved you, trusted you, and you... oh, how could you?”

Sanna glared at the tree, as though it were to blame. This was stupid. Why was she doing this to herself? A sniffle echoed in the large room, followed by a gaspy sob. No. She was not going to cry over him again. Not again, not again, not–

A beep from her comm interrupted, dragging her focus back from the edge of despair. She answered with voice only and found Lana on the other side, requesting a meeting.

“Of course. Give me five minutes.”

“Is this going to be like Koth’s ‘three minutes’? Because I can reschedule if necessary.” The pilot in question could be heard voicing his dismay over Lana’s slander in the background. Stars, Lana was good at knowing when she needed to smile.

“No, I don’t think so,” Vassanna responded with a small huff of laughter. “I’ll be there shortly.” Ending the call, she made her way to the ‘fresher. Splashing water on her face with trembling hands and taking a few deep, calming breaths, she settled her mask into place. She could do this. She’d dealt with worse, she could do this.

A comfortingly familiar warm, spicy scent wafted through the suite of rooms, emanating from the holo-tree. Yes, she could do this.

The temperature on Odessen was still warmer than she preferred for this holiday, but the evenings were getting crisp. Maybe she should grab a cup of hot cocoa from the commissary and head outside after dinner. If she was lucky, they’d have peppermint and either marshmallows or whipped cream.

The thought bolstered Sanna’s spirits and she held her head high as she strode purposefully into the hallway toward the War Room.


	6. December 22: First year after Person A/B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh, you poor, sweet prompt-writer. You thought these would all be cute and fluffy holiday stories. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.
> 
> Set after KotFE Chapter 1.

Theron hunched over his console at SIS headquarters, a cup of now-tepid caf in his hand and brow furrowed in concentration. Sorting through the multitude of reports on this new Eternal Empire to confirm their accuracy was giving him a headache and he pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh. He glanced at the chrono, surprised when he realized it was past dinner. How long had he been going over these damned files?

His holo chimed and he groaned when he saw who it was.

“What do you want, Balkar?”

“Well, that’s not a very nice way to answer your holo, Shan, especially when you’re an hour late to the holiday party. Don’t tell me they haven’t kicked you out of the office yet.”

“I thought we already talked about this, Jonas; I’m not going to your party. Some of us actually _do_ our jobs around here.”

“Oh come on, it’s Life Day. Contrary to popular belief, it won’t kill you to put down the datapads for an evening.” There was a beat of silence as Jonas inspected his colleague, concern furrowing his brows. “And frankly, you look like hells. You need a break. You’ve been working around the chrono since they brought you back in, especially once that pretty little Jedi came to see you.”

Theron’s memory flashed back to that day at the office – it was shortly after he’d been called back from leave with the attack of the Eternal Fleet. Vassanna’s sister, the Barsen’thor, walked calmly into SIS headquarters and asked to speak with him privately. Most of the conversation was a blur, but some of what Rineth Nabeshin said to him was seared into his mind forever.

 _“Agent Shan, she cares–” Rineth paused and took a deep, shuddering breath, closing her eyes. “Sanna_ cared _for you, she… she asked me to tell you that if she didn’t… if–” Rineth swallowed hard and clenched her jaw tightly, before slipping on her own Jedi mask and sitting up straighter, hands clasped together. The Barsen’thor managed to keep speaking, despite her voice breaking throughout the entire conversation. “She said that she’s sorry for having to stand you up. That she was looking forward to your next date. That she cared about you, more than she should.”_

Snapping back to the present, Theron noticed the janitorial droid staff closing up the offices and turning out all the lights. He glared at Jonas through the holo and said, “Fine, I’m going home. Happy?”

“Well, no, I think you should come out. There’s good drinks and great company and –”

“Night, Jonas,” Theron said, terminating the call and standing up to leave. Before he turned to walk out, he snagged a couple of datapads to review once he was home.

His walk home was quiet, despite the date on the calendar – Zakuul and their blockade were putting a bit of a damper on most holiday celebrations. He was almost to his apartment building when his holo chimed with a message.

> Sure you don’t want to join me for dinner? I’ve got a great bottle of Corellian whiskey to crack open and a couple of nerf steaks waiting to be grilled. One’s got your name on it.
> 
> -Jace

Theron quickly sent off his response:

> Thanks again for the offer, but I really can’t get away from work. I’m sorry, but enjoy a glass of that whiskey for me.
> 
> T

He knew he wasn’t being fair to Jace, but he really didn’t want to sit through an evening that would be awkward at best; he was having a hard enough time making it through the days as it was. There were times when Theron thought he might actually be losing it – he swore that he could hear Vassanna's voice every so often, in the back of his mind, and he couldn’t stop dreaming about her.

Entering his apartment, Theron went to his desk first to grab his encryption data spike so he could continue running through his reports. Roughly pulling the drawer open, everything it contained skittered to the front, including a slim navy box. His breath caught as he grabbed the spike as quickly as he could, slamming the drawer closed again. Why in all the galaxy did he still have that damned necklace? He should have returned it, or thrown it away.

Fighting down a lump in his throat, he knew that there was no way he would part with it, at least not yet. That still didn’t make it easy to see, however.

Theron poured himself a generous glass of whiskey and flopped onto his couch, datapad in hand and trying his damnedest to focus on the report in front of him. Unfortunately, Pandora’s Box of memories had been opened and all he could think about was _her_. In a fit of rage at the Eternal Empire, the Force, and the galaxy itself, Theron hurled the guiltless datapad across the room, shattering it. He threw back the rest of his drink and stormed out of the apartment.

He roamed the streets aimlessly, avoiding the shopping center, his hands fisted in his jacket pockets. Coming across a bar, Theron decided that a drink was in order and stopped in. He was on his fourth – fifth? – pint when a tall, sturdy figure sat on the stool next to him at the bar and ordered an Alderaanian brandy.

“Can’t get away from work, huh?” Jace Malcom gave his son a wry smirk and, if Theron looked hard enough, it contained a touch of sorrow as well. He sighed, unable to come up with an excuse that wouldn’t hurt the older man’s feelings.

“I heard about what happened to your Jedi friend out in Wild Space,” Jace continued. “You have my sympathies, son.” Theron wasn’t drunk enough to miss the implications in the word ‘friend’ and used it to try to steer the conversation elsewhere.

“You know all about having a Jedi _friend_ , don’t you?” Theron smirked but managed to keep his voice fairly neutral and his father snorted in response.

“Touché. Almakian apple didn’t fall far from that tree though, eh?” Theron nodded, jaw clenched and eyes screwed shut, and Malcom grew serious and clasped his son on the shoulder. “I’m sorry, Theron. Damn, I wish things were different for you. She deserved better.”

Theron finally spoke, through gritted teeth. “You think I don’t know that? The Force-damned ship exploded. With her on it.” Had it hurt? Had she thought about him then, at the end? And damn it all, why _her?_ He buried his face in his hands and mumbled an apology to Jace for snapping at him, vaguely aware of the older man closing his tab.

“C’mon, Theron, let’s go,” Jace said gruffly, taking him by the elbow and casually leading him out of the bar; why he allowed it, he couldn’t say. The two men walked back to his apartment, the silence between them heavy and thick with words unspoken. When they arrived, Theron managed to unlock the door and Malcom followed, steering them both towards the sofa.

“I’m good now, thanks.” There was a slight slur to Theron’s words as he slumped onto a cushion and it irritated him to no end – he was a better spy than this, for fuck’s sake, and he could hold his liquor. The older man’s only response was a sardonic look as he went to raid the pantry.

“When was the last time you ate, son?” Jace sighed at Theron’s shrug and busied himself in the kitchen. “Kriff, when was the last time you bought groceries?” he muttered.

Theron’s head had fallen back onto the couch and he was snoring loudly a few minutes later when his father returned to the living room, carrying a cup of instant noodles in one hand and two white tablets and a glass of water in the other. A nudge to Theron’s boot instantly woke him, head snapping up, blinking and trying to get his bearings. He accepted the pain meds and water without complaint, then reached for the noodles with a nod of thanks as Jace sat on the other side of the couch.

“Why?” Theron’s hushed whisper finally broke the silence weighing on them.

“I don’t know. Wish like hells I did, though.”


	7. December 23: Spending the holiday with their kid(s)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Full Disclosure: This is the schmoopiest thing I’ve written lately. Perhaps ever. (Probably ever.) Tell your dentist I said, “you’re welcome.” :)
> 
> Set a handful of years after Nathema in some vague, handwavey time frame.

“You okay, sweetheart?” Theron couldn’t keep the worry out of his voice as Sanna sighed with exhaustion and turned over uncomfortably in bed once again, eventually settling on her side, her back pressed close to his chest. His arm wrapped around her, hand drifting down to rest on the slight swell of her belly. He allowed the surge of pride, excitement, and concern that he felt flow through their bond, a corner of his lips curving upwards irrepressibly. “Is this kid already causing trouble?”

Sanna couldn’t help a chuckle and rested her hand on his. “Just like his father,” she said, amusement audible in her voice. Theron froze, his breath catching in his throat.

“His?” Theron croaked out. Sanna rolled over gingerly to face him, lower lip between her teeth, violet eyes shyly meeting amber ones.

“It’s still early yet, but… yes. I think so.”

“Yeah?” A huge grin broke out on his face as she nodded; he looked down at the stretch of her abdomen underneath their hands and said, “Yeah. Wow, this is… wow.” He frowned as Sanna winced and arched her lower back. “Hey, I need you to be nice to your mom, alright?”

“It’s fine Theron, really. I’m just achy. I know it’s normal, but my hips and back… honestly, I’m just having a hard time finding a comfortable way to lay down already,” she said, shifting restlessly. Kissing Sanna’s forehead, Theron slipped his hand from beneath hers and gently rocked her onto her side. Leaning back, he sank his thumbs into the muscles at the base of her spine, on either side of her tattoos, and received a soft groan for his efforts.

“Oh, you’re the _best_ , my love,” she whispered and he snorted in response.

“Pretty sure that rubbing your back is the very least I can do at this point. You got the tough job – _mine_ was the fun one.” Laughter bubbled from her lips and he grinned smugly, dropping a kiss on her shoulder.

A door slid open down the hall and they both stilled, holding their breath as they heard a delighted little gasp. Tiny bare feet slapped the floor as their three-year-old daughter ran to the living room and they grinned at her excitement.

“Oh _wow_. Mama! Daddy!” The shout was followed by more loud footfalls, this time running in the direction of their room. Amareesa launched herself at the bed from a few feet away, completely trusting her mother to lift her with the Force and drop her in just the right place in the bed. She landed in a fit of giggles, snuggled perfectly between her parents. A mess of dark brown hair had escaped the little girl’s long braid; it fell into her face and Theron tucked it back behind her ears with an affectionate smile.

“What’s so exciting, Reesie? Is there a spaceship in our living room?” he asked. The toddler just giggled again and shook her head. “No? Oh, I know! You made caf for Mama and me. You’re such a thoughtful kid.” He ruffled her hair and grinned.

“Daddy, you’re silly!” Theron answered by poking at the side of her ribcage; she squirmed and squealed with laughter. “Aaahhhh, ‘at _tickles_!”

“Well, you just keep on growing. I gotta count your ribs and see if there are any new ones.”

Theron tickled his daughter for another moment, enjoying the magic of her laughter before she wriggled away and flopped into Sanna’s arms with a dramatic, “ _Save_ me, Mama!”

A swell of joy over this beautiful and brilliant little person filled his chest, along with a vague sense of disbelief that this life was actually, truly _his_. He gazed at the two – soon to be three – most important people in his life and was blown away by it all.

“No ship, Daddy, just Tee. And he’s an ask-er-mack droid.” Theron was drawn back from his reverie by the toddler’s insistence that there was an unfortunate lack of spaceships in their living room. She turned to Sanna and continued, “But Mama, _Mama_ , the Life Day tree – there’s new presents under it! And the cookies are gone, and the blue milk too!”

“What? No! How did that happen?” Sanna appeared incredulous over this new information. “Missing cookies and new presents, you say? We should all go look, don’t you think?” The little one nodded emphatically and jumped out of bed, scrambling over her mother’s legs and nearly falling to the floor in her rush.

They ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the new gifts under the Life Day tree, including a miniature swoop bike topped with a red bow larger than their daughter. Sanna was absolutely certain that it had not been there when she’d gone to bed; she glared suspiciously at Theron, eyes narrowed and brow raised. He whistled innocently before winking and retreated to the kitchen to make some caf.

Setting out mugs for the two of them, he felt a nudge of a reminder from Sanna in the back of his mind and pulled down a third, smaller mug before digging out the hot cocoa mix from the back of the pantry. Even after all this time, he still had no idea how she managed to focus on anything else while Amareesa was chattering on about life.

He also had no idea how one tiny person could talk so much.

As Theron was pouring their caf, the doorbell chimed and he grabbed two more cups from the cabinet and a box of tea; Sanna grinned and wondered aloud who could _possibly_ be at the door at this time on Life Day, gesturing towards the front entry and opening it with the Force. The little girl shrieked in excitement as the door opened to reveal the hulking form of Jace Malcom, entirely dwarfing the former Jedi Grand Master beside him.

“There’s my little munchkin,” Jace called out in his deep, booming voice. He scooped up his granddaughter as she ran to him and tossed her high into the air, earning an excited scream of laughter before enveloping her in a bear hug. Requisite hug and smooch acquired, he flipped Amareesa upside down with a broad grin on his face and handed her off to Satele, who gently used the Force to turn the little girl right side up before hugging her close.

“And how are you this morning, my dear one?” The soft joy on Satele’s face as she received a kiss on the cheek from her granddaughter, tiny arms wrapped around her neck, was something wonderful to behold. _I can’t believe I used to think that Satele was emotionless. Damn, what an idiot I was_ , Theron mused with a self-deprecating smirk. Sanna sidled up to him, a cup of caf in one hand and a slice of toast in the other, and he stole a small kiss from his wife before draping his arm over her shoulders and pulling her close.

“Feeling okay, love?” he whispered in her ear. She saluted him with her toast and a soft smile. It was all the affirmation he needed and he squeezed her closer, dropping a kiss on her hair.

“Papa! Nana! Come see the tree!” Amareesa squirmed out of her grandmother’s arms and practically danced to the living room. Satele and Jace exhibited an appropriate amount of enthusiasm and the toddler studied the scene before selecting a carefully wrapped box with a blue bow and said, “Lookit, this one’s for you! We got you a –”

“Reesie, no!” Theron nearly knocked Sanna’s caf to the floor as he darted over to clap a hand over the little girl’s mouth before she could spill the beans about the gift for his parents. Her father’s sharp reaction frightened Amareesa, and her lower lip began to tremble as her eyes filled with tears.

“Oh no. No, please don’t cry kiddo. I’m so sorry for shouting, I didn’t mean to scare you.” Theron wrapped the weeping toddler in his arms and carried her over to the sofa where she curled up in his lap. He murmured reassurances to her, rocking side to side and gently rubbing her back. Once she was calm, he continued, “Do you remember, we talked about how we don’t tell Mama what surprise is wrapped up for her?” A nod and a sniffle were his answer. “Well, that’s the case for everybody that you get a gift. We want them to be surprised, just like Mama.”

“I ‘member, Daddy. I’m sorry.” Her little voice was sad and watery, and it broke Theron’s heart.

“No no no, you don’t need to be sorry, it’s okay. Besides, I’m pretty sure that Papa and Nana will be happy, whether we tell them what the gift is or not. But… let’s still not tell them quite yet, alright?” Theron received another nod and he squeezed his daughter tight and whispered, “Are you gonna be okay?” Another nod from the little one, and he kissed the top of her head. “Oh good, I’m glad. I love you, Reesie.”

“Love you too, Daddy,” she said, returning the hug. Jace had snuck outside sometime during the kerfuffle and waltzed back in at the perfect moment, a huge fabric gift bag in tow. It was far wider than the former soldier and nearly as tall.

“Hey munchkin, I’d left your Life Day gift outside when we got here. Mind if I give it to you now?” he asked his granddaughter, a smile creasing his face. Theron was struck by the older man’s similarity to a stuffed wampa rather than a hardened trooper, despite his many years in the latter role – especially around his granddaughter.

The munchkin in question looked over her father’s shoulder and when she saw the bag, her eyes grew wide and her mouth hung open. Completely oblivious to the uneasy glance her parents exchanged, she bounded over to Jace, her previous exhilaration restored at the prospect of a massive present from her grandparents.

Jace laid the bag down on its side and helped her untie the ribbon. Then, with a flourish, he pulled the top of the bag back to reveal a two-meter-long stuffed Varactyl. It was made of a silky, shimmery blue-green fabric and Reesie clapped her hands gleefully before she clambered into the soft canvas saddle that was attached to the back of the stuffed animal.

“Well, munchkin, what do you think? Do you like it?” The excited toddler nodded her head as she pretended to steer the Varactyl around the room. Satele had noticed the looks that her son and daughter-in-law were exchanging and felt the need to speak.

“I must admit that I was with Jace when he bought the Varactyl,” the older woman confessed. “I tried to stop him–”

“Not _that_ hard!” Jace burst out laughing and Satele glared at him, shoulders squared and lips pursed in dismay.

“I recommended a smaller version of the Varactyl. A _much_ smaller version,” she said insistently while Jace continued to chuckle.

“It’s lovely, thank you both. Reesie looks quite pleased with it as well,” Sanna said diplomatically. “I’m certain that we’ll find a place for it.”

_Yeah, like the Force Enclave. They could always use more meditation pillows, right? No wait – I know the perfect spot_ , Theron thought to himself, doing his best to smother a grin at the mental image of a two-meter-long stuffed Varactyl tucked into Lana Beniko’s bed – and the Sith’s reaction to it. He coughed to cover a snicker and cleared his throat.

“So, do you guys wanna keep opening gifts or do you want breakfast first?” Theron said aloud, and the consensus was to continue opening gifts, after refilling their mugs. His daughter skipped over to him, tugged on his hand to bring him down to her level, and whispered something in his ear that made one corner of his mouth turn up. “Yes, of course. You can give Nana and Papa their gift first, kiddo.”

* * *

An hour or so later, the living room was littered with torn paper, lengths of untied ribbon, and bits of tissue. Presents were piled next to their recipients and smiles were on everyone’s faces. Reesie was trying to scoot around on the swoop bike, much to Sanna’s chagrin and Theron’s delight; Satele was aiding the process with the Force, ensuring the little girl didn’t tip over.

“I’m… going to start on breakfast,” Sanna announced, having decided that it was probably better if she didn’t watch any longer. Theron proudly ruffled their little girl’s hair as he stood to join his wife, an arm winding around her waist and dropping an affectionate kiss on her temple as they sauntered off to the kitchen.

A sad ghost of a smile crossed Jace’s features as he watched the two of them walk out of the room, remembering a very different Life Day that he’d spent with Theron, more than a decade ago now. The smile became joyous again as his granddaughter’s laughter rang out; he looked up at Satele and his chest constricted as he realized that despite everything – the lost time, the missed opportunities – he had the family he’d been missing all those years. The woman that he’d loved for most of his life returned the warm smile wholeheartedly and damn if he wasn’t content. Satisfied. _Happy_.

The joy in Jace’s heart was echoed throughout the entirety of the small home, reflected in the eyes and faces of the people dearest to his heart.


	8. December 24: Their first holiday together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Theron & Sanna's first Life Day on Odessen goes well.

There was a hum of excitement building at the Alliance Base in the weeks leading up to Life Day. For the first time in years, hope for an end to the Eternal Empire and its despot of a leader was a very real and tangible thing, and it was spilling over into the holiday mood. Glitter and tinsel were everywhere, as well as Life Day trees and other traditional decorations. Theron wasn’t quite sure how they’d gotten on to Odessen, but he had a sneaking suspicion that Vette had something to do with it.

Despite the buzz running through the rest of the base, their room was quiet and peaceful – well, _mostly_ peaceful. It was early yet, but Theron had woken about a half an hour before the normal time; he lay in bed, curled around Vassanna, limbs tangled together and his mind flipping between excitement and apprehension. Every time the pendulum in his mind swung towards worry and doubt, Sanna would stir in her sleep, so perhaps there was more to this Force-bond thing they shared than he’d thought.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Theron freed his arm and reached for the drawer in his nightstand – there was no time like the present. He managed to retrieve a flat navy blue box and rolled back to rest it on the pillow in front of her nose, placing a kiss behind her ear as he wrapped himself around her again, taking another steadying breath and squeezing her tight to his chest.

Sanna sighed and shifted, snuggling closer to him as she drifted towards consciousness. Her fingers tightened around his and he whispered in her ear, “Happy Life Day, Sanna.” She turned her head to kiss him, then gave a small gasp and a squeal of excitement when she saw the slim blue box in front of her. Theron couldn’t help but chuckle as she sat up in bed and faced him, reeling in her excitement and twisting her fingers together to refrain from reaching for the gift on her pillow, her eyes dancing between his face and the box.

He sat up as well, propped on one arm, and as he handed her the box he began to worry again about whether or not she would like it. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat before attempting to speak.

“I, uh, didn't think about getting wrapping paper or even wrapping it until about five seconds ago, which was stupid. I mean, it's not like Life Day is a brand new tradition and no one knows how things are supposed to work, with the opening of gifts and stuff. Things need to be _wrapped_ before you can _un_ wrap them an–”

“Theron.” Sanna met his gaze and placed a hand on his cheek, silencing his nervous rambling with a kiss and he felt all his apprehension melt away. She nuzzled his nose and gave him a smile – that warm, contented smile with a bit of spark she reserved just for him. It made his heart skip a beat every damn time.

Tugging off the lid and setting it on the bed, she looked up at Theron, excitement sparkling in her eyes as she pushed the tissue aside. He watched her as her gaze fell upon the item resting within the paper: a small, narrow white crystal streaked with dark purple, perhaps three or four centimeters long and wrapped with a simple gold band at the top, clasped to a matching chain. Her face went from excitement to confusion to recognition with a gasp, wide-eyed and mouth open in shock. Her fingers trembled as she plucked the crystal from its protective wrapping.

“But this is... it’s from...” Sanna whispered as she looked up at him, her violet eyes shining with emotion and flitting between his face and the necklace. “When did you–? Theron, how long have you _had_ this?” Before Theron could give a coherent answer, she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around him, nearly knocking him flat on his back in her fervor, necklace clutched tightly in her hand and her face buried in his neck.

“So, um, you like it?” he murmured, kissing her temple and running his fingers through her hair, his other arm already finding its way around her waist. She nodded and took a shuddering breath.

“Oh Theron, it’s wonderful.” Her words were muffled against his chest and he smirked. “It’s... I can’t believe you’ve had this for so long.”

Sanna pulled away and sat up straight, staring incredulously at him, and then at the piece of jewelry in her hand, a myriad of feelings displayed on her features as her other hand came up to cover her mouth. Theron followed her, leaning in to kiss her forehead. His fingers brushed her cheek before taking her hand in his, and he smiled sadly at her.

“I’m sorry it’s so late, Sanna. But better late than never, I suppose.” She closed her fingers around the necklace and pulled it closer to her chest, shaking her head and blinking back tears.

“It’s perfect,” she whispered, holding his gaze as a wobbly smile crossed her features. Theron held her face in his hands before kissing her tenderly, savoring every second of it and letting the bittersweet joy and peace of this moment wash away the sorrow and emptiness of the past few Life Days.

“Let me put it on you,” he said, voice rough and forehead touching hers. “Please. I want to see if it looks as good as I always imagined it would.” His fingers were surprisingly deft with the clasp of the chain and the pendant was resting warmly against Vassanna’s chest in short order.

“You’re right, Sanna. It _is_ perfect,” Theron said, one corner of his mouth tilting upwards.

They sat together, holding each other close until Sanna broke the spell with a chuckle. “Well,” she said softly, fingers gently brushing against the crystal, “this is awkward. There’s no way my gift to you can come close to this.”

“I’m sure it’ll be great, it’s from _you_. Besides, it’s the thought that counts. Or so they say.”

Her eyes narrowed and lips pursed briefly before she stood to retrieve what looked like a heavy package, beautifully wrapped and complete with a huge puffy bow on top.

“That doesn’t make me feel better, Theron.” Sitting back down on the bed, Sanna handed Theron his gift with a smile as he frowned at the bow, chagrin plain on his face. “Don’t feel bad, I can’t really claim any responsibility for the gift-wrapping. Have I mentioned recently that the good Captain Nabeshin absolutely loves Life Day?”

 _Hells – Eli’anara and Vette working together? This is worse than I thought_ , Theron mused, adding Ellie to his list of Life Day decoration suspects. Drawing his attention back to the gift from Vassanna, he grinned in growing excitement as he tore open the wrapping. A small brown box was first and Theron greedily took the lid off and pushed back the bright red tissue. Inside he found a small data processor board, assorted processor parts, and a handful of various sensors laying in a jumbled mess. Theron looked up to see her beaming at him and his heart sank as he realized the gift she’d gotten him had broken.

“Do you like it?” she asked, twining her fingers together nervously. “It’s a build-your-own microprocessor kit. There’s more information on the flimsi under the tissue.”

Theron chuckled and gave a sigh of relief. “Of course it is.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and looked sheepishly at Sanna. “I didn’t realize what it was at first and all I could think was ‘how am I gonna tell her that it’s busted?’ This is really neat. Thank you, sweetheart.” She shot him that smile again and his heart tripped as his face mirrored the grin instinctively.

He ripped the paper from the next box and whistled low in appreciation when he saw the label, eyebrows raised, and looked her in the eye. “Vassanna Nabeshin. How the _hells_ did you get a hold of a 30-year bottle of Whyren’s?”

“So that was a good choice?” The perfectly innocent look on her face wasn’t fooling Theron one bit.

“Sanna, I’m serious. This is too much.”

One corner of her lips couldn’t keep from quirking up. “Apparently, you and my cousin have a mutual appreciation for fine Corellian beverages. And she knows a few people,” Sanna explained with a shrug.

Well. Perhaps he'd been wrong about the Captain.

“And no,” her face grew serious as she continued, her fingers coming up to touch the crystal pendant again. “It’s not too much. Though, if you’d rather, you can think of it as me getting you a bottle of 6-year whiskey for five years in a row.”

Theron snorted. “That’s not how whiskey works.”

“I know,” she said quietly. “But I’m five years in arrears for Life Day gifts. Do you like it?” He nodded and she continued, her fingers brushing his cheek. “Good. And I enjoyed giving it to you. So it’s not too much.”

Theron set the whiskey aside and reached for Sanna, but she threw herself into his arms first, nearly bowling him over again and hugging him tightly.

“Happy Life Day, Theron.” He could hear the smile in her voice and sighed contentedly as he returned the embrace.

“You too, Sanna,” he whispered. Theron drew her closer and basked in the feeling of _her,_  very real and next to him, his fingers tangling in her hair, eyes closed and oblivious to the rest of the galaxy. He had everything he really wanted right here in his arms.


End file.
